Friday, September 16, 2011

Poetry to Take You through the Year, Part 2

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The following three poetry collections take us through the year month by month:

A Child’s Calendar

Written by John Updike

Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

Holiday House, 1999

The first edition of A Child’s Calendar—illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert—was published in 1965. This newer edition—illustrated by Hyman—received a Caldecott Honor Award. I’d say deservedly so. Hyman’s evocative paintings portray events, activities, and scenes that are representative of each month. Children are shown making valentines in February….flying kites in March…enjoying a family picnic in July…trick-or-treating and jumping in piles of leaves in October. Hyman’s illustrations extend Updike’s text. They take readers through the year hand-in-hand with his poems.

November

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The twelve poems, written in stanzas of rhyming quatrains, are crisp, concise, and filled with imagery, personification, and figurative language:

In January, the sun is “a spark/Hung thin between/The dark and dark.

In March, “Shy budlets peep/From twigs on trees…

In April, “The sky’s a herd/Of prancing sheep…”

In June, “The live-long light/is like a dream,/And freckles come/Like flies to cream”

Updike made small changes to some of the poems for the 1999 edition. For example in January, milk bottles no longer “burst/Outside the door.” Instead—“parkas pile up/Near the door.” And in June, children play hide-and-seek after supper in lieu of kick-the can.

A Child's Calendar is a topnotch poetry collection written and illustrated by two talented and highly respected individuals who were stars in their respective professions.

Note: I used to tell my students to listen for clues as I read poems from this book to see if they could name which month Updike was describing. My pupils enjoyed the challenge.

Another Note: Ariel S. Winter has an excellent post about A Child’s Calendar, the two different editions of the book, and changes made to the newer edition at his blog We Too Were Children, Mr. Barrie. Click here to read it.

Each of the twelve poems in this collection begins the same way: January is when…February is when…December is when…. One might think this approach would lead to poetic monotony. Not so…not in the talented hands of Bobbi Katz. The author breathes personality and life into the different months with her imagery and creative use of language:

Katz provides an excellent example of what an imaginative and adept writer can do with a simple concept. She selected a unifying model for all of her poems about the months--but showed how creative a poet can be even when limiting herself to one type of poem.

Pham’s bold illustrations burst with color and exuberance. Close-ups and changing perspectives add energy and life. They are a wonderful complement to Katz's inventive text.

Winnick didn’t limit herself to writing just one poem about each of the twelve months. Except for January, there are two poems for each month—and three for December. The seasonal poems include a wide variety of subjects--making snow angels, a winter beach, reading indoors, baseball tryouts, April rain, frolicking in waves at the shore, playing dodge ball, fall leaves, Halloween disguises, feeding a goose in autumn, the first snow.

Some poems are energetic. Many are reflective and thoughtful—like Welcome Back and Summer’s End:

WELCOME BACK

Frog,I missed you whenthe pond froze thick with ice.

You disappeared but then--you must have checked the clock.

Now you're here with spring,back sunning on your rock.

SUMMER'S END

Good-bye to bare feet,to August’s late heat,to swims in the sea,sleepovers for three,to campfire nights,long days of light.In the wink of an eye,all of summer—gone by.

The authors of these three poetry collections used different approaches in writing about the months. Sharing poems from the books with children can help show them how different poets view the months and write about them in their own unique voices.

Click here to read my post from last Friday: Poetry to Take You through the Year, Part 1.

You are always such a terrific resource, Elaine! I bought that Updike book so many years ago, and I agree...it's beautiful in word and picture. What a lucky little grandchild you have. I can't wait to see the poetry that comes of that tiny mouth and hand! A.

Wow! Thank you for telling about these beautiful books. They are new to me and will be added to my wish list. The knowledge that Updike wrote such sweet poetry is a surprise. I know Hyman's art, but it's a wonder every time I see it.

About Me

I worked as an elementary school teacher for more than three decades and as a school librarian for three years. I also taught a children's literature course at Boston University from 2002-2008. I am now retired and write poetry for children. I currently serve as a member of the NCTE Poetry Committee.